JackKnife Plug

18th January, 2011: Posted by glpease in Tobacco, Technique, Product News

The good news is, JackKnife hit the shelves of one close-to-the-source retailer a week ago Friday. The bad news is, they sold out in less than an hour. More bad news is that inclement weather, by way of snow storms, kept folks out of the factory for a couple of days, which held up shipments. But, fortunately, there’s more good news, too; the shipments will begin going out regularly tomorrow, and many retailers will be getting theirs soon. I hope. I’ve heard rumours of a torch and pitchfork brigade forming, and I’ve been a bit lax in the maintenance of the fortifications.

All that to say that when a new product is released, it takes time to fill the pipelines, but everyone is working hard on it. Promise. That’s the news. Now I’ll spend the rest of this entry talking a little about the tobacco, itself. Read more…»

New Year, New Decade, New Pricing

30th December, 2010: Posted by glpease in Editorial, Product News

As 2010 comes to a close, and with it the first decade of G.L. Pease (hard to believe!) I’d like to thank everyone for their wonderful and loyal support throughout the years, for all the kindnesses shown through hard times, and for the friendships that have been made as a result of my little tobacco venture. It’s been a wild ride, for sure, and a fun one. I’m looking forward to 2011, and to the beginning of our second decade. There are some exciting things in the works, including the upcoming JackKnife Plug, and many more in the planning stage. If it’s half as fun as the last ten years has been, it’s going to be a blast.

Unfortunately, there’s some less pleasnt news to share. We’ve been looking at all the cost increases we’ve had, and those we’re facing, and have had to make the difficult decision to raise prices slightly. Everything has gone up—labels, tins, leaf—so, effective 7th January, 2011, the price of all 2oz and 8oz tins will increase by 50¢, and 1lb tins will go up $1.50. It’s not a big increase, we’ve held it to the absolute minimum necessary, but it will help to offset rising costs, while still providing the value that our Imperial Packaging offers. (When comparing prices with other brands, remember that our 2oz and 8oz tins deliver almost 13% more tobacco than the now more standard metric packaging of 50g and 200g.)

Wishing everyone a safe, happy and prosperous New Year! See you in 2011.

Secrets Revealed

9th December, 2010: Posted by glpease in Tobacco, Product News

It’s time to lift the veil of suspense. A lot of you have been really close with your guesses, some, frighteningly so. (I scanned my lab for hidden cameras and checked my phone for bugs, and found nothing. I’m beginning to wonder if you guys are into remote viewing or something.) Now, it’s time for the reveal.

What you see in the photo is the final production prototype of the new blend as it comes, and hand-prepared three different ways; sliced, sliced and rubbed out, and cube-cut. The blend comprises both bright and red flue-cured, and dark-fired kentucky leaf. What’s unique about this plug is the way it’s made. The dark tobaccos surround a central core of the brights. This is not just a cosmetic choice. By producing it this way, the slightly zesty sweetness of the golden tobaccos is less influenced by the earthiness of the darker leaf. They still interact with one another, of course, but there’s a purity to the bright’s flavors that gets muddled if it’s just mixed in randomly with the rest of the leaf. The difference is subtle, but certainly noticeable. It’s more labor intensive, requiring more care and precision to do it this way, but the results are absolutely worth it.

This one has been a long time coming. I’ve had more requests than I can count to make a plug, and to make some stronger blends. I was finally pushed over the top when a friend back east sent me some interesting plug, instructing me to smoke it after a heavy meal. I was smitten. There’s something about playing with the tobacco, cutting it, rubbing it out, preparing it for smoking, that connects us more closely with the whole process. A plug like this can be sliced thick or thin, so the smoker gains complete control over the way it will pack and burn. It’s quite rewarding. (And, since I did ultimately wake up from the nicotine induced hallucinations resulting from smoking my friend’s gift, I figured it was well worth exploring this further.)

JackKnife Plug isn’t a casual smoke, at least for me. There’s enough strength in those blocks to deserve serious respect. But, the taste and aroma are fantastic.

Here’s the description from the label:

JackKnife Plug - dark-fired Kentucky leaf and ripe red Virginia tobaccos, with their deep, earthy flavors, are layered on a central core of golden flue-cured for a hint of bright sweetness, then pressed and matured in cakes, and finally cut into 2oz blocks. Slice it thick and rub it out for a ribbon cut, thin for a shag, or chop it into cubes. The choice is yours.

JackKnife Plug is the first blend in my New World Collection. I’ve got some other goodies planned and in the works, so stay tuned for more. Now, I’m just waiting for label proofs from the printer, so I can make final adjustments there. Production has been scheduled, and we’re looking forward to a mid-January availability. And, there will be some new things coming for the Old London Series later in 2011, as well.

Exciting times!

-glp

And The Winner Is…

21st September, 2010: Posted by glpease in Tobacco, Product News

Naming a product is never an easy thing for me; there are so many things to consider in the process. Is the name memorable? Will it kindle some sort of association with the blend itself? Does it fit with the brand’s perceived image, or the series to which the blend is destined? Will it fit on the label, and be legible when it’s on the retailers’ shelves? I’m far from an expert in these things, and I’ve made some mistakes, but having been through it a few times, I’ve learned a little about the art. It isn’t really any easier, now, but at least, I have gained some appreciation for why it’s so hard.

However, as challenging as naming a product is, judging this contest turned out to be harder; there were some really fantastic entries, names that I really liked, but in the end, there can be only one, and as I read through them again and again, the task of narrowing it down began to seem impossible. When you consider that I’ve had the advantage of smoking quite a bit of this blend, and know its inner secrets, I can sort of “feel” what fits it. The contest entrants, on the other hand, had only my loose description of the blend to work with. Despite this, many did an admirable job of capturing the idea. This doesn’t help the judging much.

See, I was hoping that a single, perfect name would leap off the page, do a little pirouette in the air in front of my screen, sing, “Pick me” in a sonorous alto, and the whole thing would be over. It was a nice dream, but things rarely work out so simply. Read more…»

Contest Announcement - Name the New Blend!

8th September, 2010: Posted by glpease in Tobacco, Product News

As mentioned in an item in the soon to be defunct News page a few days ago, a new blend in the Old London Series is being readied for release. We’re all hoping to have it out in time for introduction at the CORPS show in Richmond in October. Those who read the news item may recall that I’d mentioned a contest. I know I’m asking for trouble with this, but here it is.

First, a little about the blend. This one has somewhat less Latakia than Quiet Nights, though the inclusion of more orientals and a deep red virginia backbone gives it a dark and rich presence. I’d call it a medium latakia mixture, with a very classic taste profile and a wonderful aroma. It’s more earthy and savory than sweet, and the orientals provide a lingering, fragrant smoke. It’s not as heavy as Westminster, not as tangy as Chelsea Morning. I’d think of it as orbiting the same planet as Charing Cross or Kensington without being really like either of them. It’s a wonderful addition to the series. I’ve smoked this one at all times of the day, but it seems most ideal for afternoons. If I were to attach it to the weather, it would be a crisp autumn day. Read more…»